(This chapter will be written in a 3rd person view)
At a remote road in the outskirts of the country, the carriage bringing the ex-queen is seen. The road they are taking leads to the tower of Grace, which is a week’s travel from the capital. At the tower, the ex-queen will be spending the rest of her days in house arrest.
Inside the carriage, the ex-queen Erica is wearing plain clothes. She isn’t wearing any make up and her hair is only tied into a pony tail. Her appearance now is a far cry from her former self, who was always dressed in luxurious clothes and exquisite jewelry. Her hair is always styled with shining hair ornaments that compliments her beauty.
Now she is just a whisp of her former self, traveling to the last destination of her life. Looking at her like this, one would wonder how a queen who was high above all others would plumet down to nothing.
The ex-queen was silently seating inside her carriage, outside are royal knights riding in their horses guarding her.
Erica just took one maid with her. This maid has been with her ever since they were young and is very loyal to her. Even after Erica’s sentence, the maid cried hard and wanted to go with her in exile. Erica tried to dissuade her maid from coming but also gave in to her plead.
“Your majesty, you look tired. Why not take a nap?” The maid said.
Erica heaved a heavy sigh. “Why did this happened to me?” She asked her maid. “All I did was to love someone whole heartedly.”
The maid looked at Erica with a sad smile. “I am afraid you have loved him a bit too much, your majesty.” The maid replied.
Erica looked at the maid curioisly. “Did all I do wrong? I have given him everything he asked for. I gave him power, I gave him the throne. And this is how he pays me.” She was heaving in anger.
“Your majesty, please calm down. Your health isn’t good these past few days. Getting angry isn’t good for you.” The maid tried to console Erica.
“I do not care about my health. I curse them, I curse all of them. I wish they have a life like living hell!” Erica screamed in anger.
“Your majesty.” The maid looked at Erica with pity. It is true that the queen has given everything to the king that she dearly loved. But in the end, she was not the one the king loved. Her love wasn’t returned to her.
It was also a pity that the ex-queen’s uncle died. If he was still alive, surely he would have a way to let Erica escape from her fate.
By that time, their carriage came into an abrupt halt. Erica and the maid was confused.
“What is happening out there.” The maid called outside.
“Just stay inside.” A royal knight said.
By then they heard the clashing of swords outside.
Erica and the maid looked at each other with grave faces. They knew that there was a battle being fought outside.
“Bandits might be attacking us.” Erica said.
Erica thought that this part of the road they were taking was a remote area. Many bandits try to rob fancy looking carriages that they knew were owned by nobles.
“Your majesty, let’s use this opportunity to escape. With the royal knights busy fighting the bandits, we can slip pass them.” The maid offered.
Erica nodded in agreement. She thought this will be a good time to escape. She wasn’t willing to be imprisoned in that tower for her whole life. She is sure to take her revenge against her ex-husband and his bastard daughter. And she would let her daughters marry suitable husbands and take over the throne and this country.
“Your majesty, this way.” The maid opened the door of the carrige slowly.
The maid take a peek outside. The royal knights were in fact fighting against black clothed men with half masks covering their lower faces.
Once the maid saw the coast was clear, she opened the door and led Erica out towards the woods.
“Hurry your majesty.” The maid was holding Erica’s hands, leading her inside the woods.
“Yes.” Erica was running just behind her maid. She felt hope for herself. She thought that this wasn’t the end of the line for her yet.
While they were running inside the woods, they heard rustling behind them.
“Your majesty, the bandits might be after us. Hurry.” The maid said.
They were running as fast as they can now. They were running for their lives. Not long after, they can feel the exhaustion of their body from running. They stop to catch their breath.
Erica can feel her throat burning while breathing. They have ran a long distance, maybe the bandits lost them.
“Your majesty, hide here first.” The maid saw a big hollow part under a huge tree’s trunk. One person can fit inside.
“I will scout the area and call you when the coast is clear your majesty.” The maid said. “But if I don’t come back after a while, I am afraid you have to go on alone.”
Erica was surprised by her maid’s words. She caught her maid’s wrist before she walked away.
“No, don’t go. You have done enough for my expense. Just stay here.” Erica was looking at her maid with pleading eyes.
The maid gave Erica a sad smile. “Your majesty, do you remember how you saved me when I was still little?”
Erica nodded her head in response. She saw her maid one winter’s night in the capital’s alley when she was a little girl. Her maid was in the brink of death and she took pity on her and took her in as her personal maid.
“After you saved my life from that terrible cold winter, I have promised my self that I would dedicate my life to you. I was an orphan who you gave a home.” The maid said with a smile. “Now I have the chance to pay my debt.”
The maid covered her head with the hood of her cape. With her appearance concealed, you won’t notice the difference between Erica and the maid because they have the same body shape.
They heard rustling from not far. The maid took Erica’s hand off her wrist
“Keep safe, your majesty.” The maid smiled and run outside.
Erica had a look of shock. She never thought that her last loyal servant would sacrifice her self just for her to escape.
“There she is, after her!” I man’s voice yelled. Many footsteps were now running away from her.
Erica was hunched under the tree’s trunk , shivering in fright. She was alone now, all alone.
